Has anybody else read this fantastic series of books? I've met George R.R. Martin as well. Pretty nice guy on the face of it. But seriously, i wish the guy would write faster! It's taking ages for A Dance of Dragons to be released!

Bloody awesome stuff, and his utter ruthlessness towards his own characters is fantastic. Disturbing, but fantastic. Still needs to write faster though - I've already got one Robert Jordan in my life and I don't need another.

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"I never understood drinking. It isn't good for your looks, and it cuts down on what you are. I never wanted to cut down on what I am." - Mae West

Jamie Lannister has the most intresting character arc - an awful corrupt human being who starts to realise what he has become and is trying to find some form of redemption while all the time being loyal to his family.

Jamie is a great example of what makes A Song of Ice and Fire rise above other fantasy books - charcters aren't just 'good' or 'evil' but are shades of both. Tyrion is the best example of this - he isn't very nice but I alway find myself on his side in most matters.

The books make some bold and shocking twists and its about the only series where I feel no one is safe (well maybe Jon and Daenerys and Tyrion).

Just hope he starts writing these things quicker. With whats happening with Robert Jorden just now there is a danger that once you start writing mulit volume stories they may never be finished.

< Message edited by Rgirvan44 -- 29/5/2007 5:30:09 PM >

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It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.

Jamie is a great example of what makes A Song of Ice and Fire rise above other fantasy books - charcters aren't just 'good' or 'evil' but are shades of both. Tyrion is the best example of this - he isn't very nice but I alway find myself on his side in most matters.

Very true. I forgot about Jamie (Is that really a very medieval name?). Characterisation is definitly one of Martin's strongest points.

Anyway, i don't want to drift tooo far off the point but Robert Jordan has had his name crop up a couple of times now. Is this his Wheel Of Time series? Has he still not finished that yet? Can someone elaborate please, thank you.

Hurrah, so a thread does exist for this! Thank you Mr. Lovebeerme for pointing me to it.

A favorite character of mine is The Hound even though most of his best moments take place from the POV of my least favorite (all bloody Sansa seems to do for three books is cry and eat lemon cakes!)

Thar be spoilers below if you haven't finished the latest book: ******** Anybody else convinced he's the gravedigger on that little island Brienne washes up on? I know Martin has always tried to stay vague about it when confronted but... it just so is. Anyway, think he'll make a dramatic come back as the born-again hero and fly the flag for bloody Sansa? I might be getting a little carried away there, but still... be nice.

Oh, and does anybody have any interesting theories about A Dance of Dragons? I say Tyrion will build one of his tricked out harnesses and steal himself one of Dany's dragons! Unlikely, but that's why it seem so likely donchathink?

Thar be spoilers below if you haven't finished the latest book: ******** Anybody else convinced he's the gravedigger on that little island Brienne washes up on? I know Martin has always tried to stay vague about it when confronted but... it just so is. Anyway, think he'll make a dramatic come back as the born-again hero and fly the flag for bloody Sansa? I might be getting a little carried away there, but still... be nice.

Eh? I well don't remember that. Although, i haven't read the book since it came out and that was more than two years ago. Can you remind in what context that was?

Personally, i like all his characters but The Hound is one of my least favourite. He just doesn't appeal to me for some reason. I think you may get to like Sansa more as she begins to play a more pivitol role in the re-emergence of House Stark.

Thar be spoilers below if you haven't finished the latest book: ******** Anybody else convinced he's the gravedigger on that little island Brienne washes up on? I know Martin has always tried to stay vague about it when confronted but... it just so is. Anyway, think he'll make a dramatic come back as the born-again hero and fly the flag for bloody Sansa? I might be getting a little carried away there, but still... be nice.

Eh? I well don't remember that. Although, i haven't read the book since it came out and that was more than two years ago. Can you remind in what context that was?

Personally, i like all his characters but The Hound is one of my least favourite. He just doesn't appeal to me for some reason. I think you may get to like Sansa more as she begins to play a more pivitol role in the re-emergence of House Stark.

Well, you'd really need to re-read it to spot all the clues Martin drops into the chapter, but I'll try to think back to everything I remember... Sandor's horse Strange is in the stables The Brother who discusses Sandor with Brienne is very ambiguous about Sandor's ultimate fate. The gravedigger looks very out of place, and is sporting a limp from some sort of leg injury (which Sandor had when Arya left him) And to top it off... there is a an actual hound that follows him about.

I'm pretty sure there's even more clues, but I can't recall right now. And I do like Sansa more now that she's sauntering about with Littlefinger but I'm never going to be particularly fond of her.

Any specific reason you're not so fond of him? I know he's not a very appealing character but that's hardly uncommon in this series...

Yeah that's true! I just don't like The Hound that much. I see him as one of the minor characters (probably because he doesn't get his own chapters!) and i like the characters who have changed or develop. I think that's why i like Jon Snow. He is a character developing throughout the books. However, if The Hound becomes "the born again hero" as you think, will probably like him more.

I think i really need to read them all over the summer again. I need something to tide me over until Dance of Dragons. Do you reckon Daenarys will come back to Westeros and conquer with perhaps the aid of Tyrion and Jon? I'd like to see more stuff with the happenings north of the Wall as well.

Do you reckon Daenarys will come back to Westeros and conquer with perhaps the aid of Tyrion and Jon? I'd like to see more stuff with the happenings north of the Wall as well.

I think it's definately on the cards. I don't know if you've heard the theories that Jon is actually Rhaegar's son, but if it pans out then there's already a strong connection between Dany and Jon... although I think the title of the series itself is enough to point out that those two are definately focal points. As for Tyrion I'm pretty convinced he's going to be meeting Dany sooner or later. GRRM actually just dropped what could be a big hint on his Livejournal about Tyrion not long ago, I'll post it here in case you haven't seen...

"Well, I made my appearance on Sheep Island a few hours ago, cleverly disguised as Tyrion the Imp for a reading and Q&A session at Bantam's virtual bookstore. Only this version of Tyrion could fly! Ah, if only the Tyrion in the books could fly, what mischief he will... ah... could... ah, never mind."

Strong possibility he's just teasing, I know, but it's an awfully intriguing teaser...

If i wanted to start a thread about the tv series where would i do that? I suppose i'm hoping for a mod to answer this. Would they prefer for me to just keep stuff in here for the moment as there isn't an awful lot about the tv serie atm, SADLY...

First of all thank you very much to this thread for introducing me to this series - I don't know why I first clicked in this thread, nor why I paid any attention to it when I did read it. I don't do fantasy novels (apart from LOTR), so I really don't know why this thread caught and kept my attention. But it did and solely due to this I bought Game of Thrones and then the rest of them and for the past 3 months I have read all books so far. I finally finished Feast for Crows yesterday and am thrilled to have been caught up in the events of this fascinating series.

My favourite chracter is undoubtedly Tyrion, but I also love Arya (not too sure about her latter stories in Braavos, I'm really hoping she meets up with her direwolf Nymeria and also Sansa and that they join forces to reclaim Winterfall).

Anyway- thanks for introducing me to a series of books that I would never have given a second glance at before. Looking forward to the tv series though can't really imagine it without all the nudity and gore!!!

Just curious, has anyone else been following the recent outpouring of drama concerning GRRM and his infamous work rate? There's been a fair few articles on the subject, most of which are seemingly torn between either praising the man or attempting to form a lynch mob.

If i wanted to start a thread about the tv series where would i do that? I suppose i'm hoping for a mod to answer this. Would they prefer for me to just keep stuff in here for the moment as there isn't an awful lot about the tv serie atm, SADLY...

The TV forum has plenty of threads on shows that are still pretty far away from actual production - stuff like the Pacific based Band of Brothers thing. Even the Wire peeps thing in New Orleans. So it'd mean your thread would get in first and be the 'official' one

Just curious, has anyone else been following the recent outpouring of drama concerning GRRM and his infamous work rate? There's been a fair few articles on the subject, most of which are seemingly torn between either praising the man or attempting to form a lynch mob.

I stopped reading at the third because of the delays. I've got them all - but I'm going to leave it to one go if it ever finally finishes. I'm not surprised at the antis though - the books are so good you do really press to read the next one in line. And if he will go off and do smaller side projects and release things in bits (I have an old D&D mag that had chapters from the next almost a year before it came out, the first run of the Hedge Knight, Dreamsongs all that stuff.

I'd rather reread Fevre Dream and just wait to be able to read this in one go. Bit of a DVD boxset approach

If i wanted to start a thread about the tv series where would i do that? I suppose i'm hoping for a mod to answer this. Would they prefer for me to just keep stuff in here for the moment as there isn't an awful lot about the tv serie atm, SADLY...

The TV forum has plenty of threads on shows that are still pretty far away from actual production - stuff like the Pacific based Band of Brothers thing. Even the Wire peeps thing in New Orleans. So it'd mean your thread would get in first and be the 'official' one

I was just about to say that. Poor Mafyou, it's only taken a year and a half for a reply.

Set up a thread in small screen and enjoy being the first to talk about it.

I stopped reading at the third because of the delays. I've got them all - but I'm going to leave it to one go if it ever finally finishes. I'm not surprised at the antis though - the books are so good you do really press to read the next one in line. And if he will go off and do smaller side projects and release things in bits (I have an old D&D mag that had chapters from the next almost a year before it came out, the first run of the Hedge Knight, Dreamsongs all that stuff.

I'd rather reread Fevre Dream and just wait to be able to read this in one go. Bit of a DVD boxset approach

I wish I had the restrait to adopt the same approach, but unfortunately I'm still too much in love with Westros to wait it out for what could (you know, maybe) be another ten+ years in the making.

Sigh. Still, at least it (briefly) made his own blog a little more interesting again.